Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 Review

11/30/12/Author: Kate Lindsmith

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone this holiday season, forget the iPhone 5. Samsung is overshadowing Apple with its latest and, according to techies worldwide, greatest creation: the Galaxy Note 2. Samsung recently released the Note 2 to the eager public, and we have some exclusive insights as to why you Need. This. Phone.

For starters, the Note 2 isn’t just a phone – larger than most smart phones but smaller than a tablet, it’s a glorious hybrid of both. At 6 by 3 inches, the phone offers an optimum display screen and keyboard size. The Note 2 is pretty perfect for anyone uninitiated in the slippery world of glass screen typing – not only does its size accommodate clumsy typers, but its optimized S Pen lets users take notes in their own handwriting, navigate screens with mouse-like precision, and edit PowerPoint documents.

The processor is a lightning-fast 1.6-gigahertz quad core, which means quick load times and complex graphics capability. After several hours of dog video “research,” this reviewer confirms the Note 2’s video capacities are definitely up to par. And maybe a little dangerous, if you’re prone to distraction.

Other high-end components include 16 gigabytes of built-in memory (plus an SD card slot for up to 64 more gigabytes), 4G capability, and a long-life battery.

Note 2 is equipped with all the usual slick Android components (it runs on Android’s 4.1 operating system, which syncs well with Google apps like Gmail, Google Maps, and more) but also offers a fleet of new features. Examples include Music Hub and Media Hub, through which users can manage tons of content. One of the coolest features has to be customizable vibrations, so you can ID callers even if you’ve turned the ringer off.

So feel good about snickering at all the cold masses who huddled outside Apple’s stores for the latest iPhone. Because you’re only as cool as your things, and the Note 2 thing is the coolest.